UGA Vegetable Gardening Publications
With food prices high, folks have been thinking about growing some of their own food. Food gardening is not hard and it doesn’t have to take much room in your landscape. You can even do it in containers! These gardening publications are available on the Internet or ask for a...
Shrub – Transplanting 1-2-3
Most shrubs and trees should be transplanted when the demand for water is least, in late fall or winter. Since many roots will inevitably be lost, they need many weeks to regenerate themselves before the hot, dry blasts of summer arrive. If you are contemplating moving a plant that would...
Shrub – Pruning Calendar
The Home & Garden section of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution published a very nice pruning calendar several years ago. When viewed on a sheet of newsprint, it was gorgeous. When reduced to fit onto a sheet of typing paper it was impossible to read. I imagine you didn’t keep...
South Africa Adventure – 2014
As many of you know, I led a group of gardeners and spouses to South Africa in 2010. The memories of that vibrant, beautiful, surprising country still linger in my brain! We had such a good time I’ve decided to lead another group trip there in January, 2014. Want to...
New Gardening Books
I regularly receive interesting-looking gardening books from publishers. I don’t have time to read them all or give an intelligent review but I know they would appeal to many gardeners. These are some of the books I’ve gotten recently. You can click the link under the book cover images to...
Lespedeza – Control in Centipedegrass
Q: I have been trying to control an infestation of what I think is lespedeza in my centipede lawn for a good number of years. What are your suggestions? A: Congratulations! You identified the plant correctly, and that’s always the...
Peony – Sarah Bernhardt
Q: I was given two small Sarah Bernhardt peonies. How do I care for them? A: Daryl Pulis, local perennial expert, says that newly planted peonies rarely flower immediately, alas, even when sold with buds. They usually need 3-5 years...
Protecting Plants from Snow and Ice
Every family has a medicine chest where emergency medical supplies are kept. If you have children, they demand special supplies. Adhesive bandages, kid-strength pain reliever and medicated ointment are all part of the preparations for those accidental events of childhood....
Bare Root Tree – Faster Growth Than Larger Trees
Q: I occasionally get bare root twigs from the Arbor Day folks. These seem to flourish in my yard much more than container-grown trees purchased at a local nursery. Why is that? A: Your experience may be true for everyone...
Miniature Roses – Indoors for Winter?
Q: I have several miniature roses growing in containers. Should they be moved indoors for the winter, or will they be all right left outside on a sunny deck? A: Miniature roses are often sold as houseplants but they are...
Deodar Cedar Trees – Sawfly Larvae
Q: We recently planted several deodar cedar trees. The other day I noticed a group of yellow caterpillars gleefully chewing the needles. What are they? A: Though it’s really late to see them, I think you have red-headed pine sawfly...
Decomposing Tree Trunk – Mulch?
Q: Eight years ago, when our house was built, the builders left a pile of pine trunks in our backyard. Today, it is a crumbling heap of free organic material. Can it be used for mulch or top-dress? A: Decomposed...
Moon Vine – Harvesting Seeds
Q: I’m the community moon vine grower. What’s the process for harvesting and storing the seed until next March? A: Moon vine, Ipomoea alba, is a great annual vine. I love how the big white flower opens late on summer...
Horse Manure and Shavings – Composting
Q: I can get horse manure and shavings from the stalls at a horse farm. Is there any special way to compost this mixture? A: Basically you just pile it up until it decomposes enough for the shavings to disappear. If...
Fescue Lawn – Mowing
Q: My recently seeded fescue lawn is now lush, green, and growing very tall. Is it time to cut the lawn now and during winter? A: Yes, your fescue needs to be mowed when it becomes unkempt. Three inches tall...
Pumpkin Seeds – Planting
Q: We saved the seeds from our Halloween pumpkin. Is there anything special to do to keep them for planting next year? A: If the seeds are plump, not flat and unviable, they are easy to save. Just dry them...
Perennial Ryegrass – Not Perennial in Georgia
Q: I planted perennial ryegrass four weeks ago and it is so beautiful. Is there any way I could keep it coming back every year? A: Perennial ryegrass is perennial in areas where summer temperatures don’t go much over 80...
Pecan Trees – History
Q: We saw a television program that mentioned the first pecan tree planted in Georgia. Being from South Georgia, I thought pecans were native to this area. A: Pecan, Carya illinoinensis, is native to North America, specifically the Midwest. Native...
Japanese Maple Trees – Surviving Winter in Pots
Q: I have Japanese maple trees in pots on my elevated deck facing east. Can these survive winter on the deck or must I bring them inside at the first frost? A: Japanese maple trees should be perfectly winter-hardy outdoors...
Dichondra Weed – Controlling
Q: I have lots of dichondra weed growing in my St. Augustine lawn on the north side of the house in partial shade. It is spreading. What is the best approach to controlling it? A: If your St. Augustinegrass is...
Azaleas – Trimming
Q: When is a good time to cut back azaleas? When is a good time to transplant them? A: The very best time to trim azaleas is after flowering in spring. However, the best time to transplant is in fall,...
Cast Iron Plant – Renovations
Q: What can I do to make cast iron plant look good. I have two huge beds and they look rough. Could I cut them down completely, fertilize and let them start over? A: The best time to do a...
Fruit Trees – Pruning
Q: I have a peach tree and a pear tree that have limbs touching the ground. When can I prune them? A: The best time to prune fruit trees is January or February. Though the job will be chilly, you...
Weeds – Identification with Pictures
Weed control in the landscape is a tough business. You have to know a lot about the weed in question just to get started! As in most situations, a picture is worth a thousand words. Websites Preen has terrific weed...
Diagnosing Holes in the Yard
Sometimes many heads are better than one when it comes to solving a problem. Wade Hutcheson, my Extension colleague in Spalding county, gets plenty of calls from the citizens of his area asking his help in identifying various holes in...
Brown Patch – Diagnosing
You have brown patches of dead grass in your lawn. Is it the common lawn disease ‘brown patch’ or is it something else? The answer is important: if it is brown patch you probably need to spray with a fungicide....
Bermuda – Weed Control
BASIC INFORMATION: Weed Identification Pictures General Turf and Weed Info Lawn Care Calendars THREE METHODS There are three primary methods of controlling weeds. Any one method, when used alone, will not usually control all of your weeds. To consistently control...
Lawn – Timing Pre-emergent Herbicide
One of the sourest phrases that can be directed at a child or adult is “I told you so!” Whether you touch a hot match, leave tools out in the rain or lift cinder blocks all afternoon, someone is usually...
Crapemyrtle – Pruning
One of the most confounding arguments I face is whether and how to prune crapemyrtles. They are mercilessly “murdered” by unaware landscapers and homeowners each winter… yet they still bloom in summer. Some people even believe a crapemyrtle won’t bloom...
Lawn – Growing in Shade
OK. I admit it. I have given up. I came to the conclusion that grass just would not grow in the corner of my lawn near the ornamental cherry trees. The shade there is so dense that my grass, no...
Lawn – Leveling
A new home in my neighborhood had bermudagrass sod planted in March. By May, one area was a perfect checkerboard of straight lines, composed of weedy plants, surrounding the individual squares of sod. Evidently the sod installers were in such...
Bermuda Grass – Disease – Brown Patch
Brown patch is most prevalent on bermudagrass which has been heavily fertilized when night temperatures are above 68 degrees and day temperature are above 80 degrees. Dead patches of grass may start small but can grow and join together to...
St. Augustine Grass Seed – Where to Buy
Q: Please tell me where I can buy St. Augustine grass seeds. Our lawn has some now and we like it a lot, but we’re having trouble finding seeds. A: You can’t buy St. Augustinegrass seed. The plant is very...
